How to Improve Your Credit Score After Bankruptcy
After you get your bankruptcy discharge—the order stating that you no longer owe your debts—there are some simple things you can do to improve your credit score.
10 Ways Financial Problems are Like Jiu-Jitsu
It’s always good to have a strategy when facing a problem–particularly a financial problem. Over the last three months, after an odd “Yes Man” moment in March of this year, I began learning Judo and Jiu-Jitsu. Off the couch I came and into the Dojo (the gym) at the behest of my good friend Chris,…
Hiring a Security Clearance Attorney
A few years ago, I did a post entitled, “Filing Bankruptcy and My Security Clearance.” Everything I’ve said in that post remains true. The fact of the matter is that the bankruptcy doesn’t disqualify you from obtaining or maintaining a security clearance. As I explain to clients, the federal government doesn’t have a problem with you…
Will My Bankruptcy be in the Newspaper?
Written Charleston Bankruptcy Lawyer, Russell A. DeMott Your bankruptcy filing will not appear in your local newspaper. About once a month I get asked about this. Clients believe that the local newspaper reports bankruptcy filings for individuals. It doesn’t. It’s understandable that clients are worried about this bankruptcy myth. Bankruptcy is viewed as financial failure…
Filing Bankruptcy with Your Husband: “Stand by Your Man”
Written by Charleston Bankruptcy Lawyer, Russell A. DeMott Filing bankruptcy when you’re married usually means both spouses filing together, but not always. The Bankruptcy Code is clear that even when a married couple files together, there are–almost always–two, separate bankruptcy “estates.” That means the husband’s estate is one estate, and the wife’s is another.…
Senior Citizens and Bankruptcy: When the Wolf is at Grandma’s Door
Guest post written by Philadelphia Bankruptcy Lawyer, Dan Mueller When I first started taking bankruptcy cases in the 1990s, I rarely had a senior citizen as a client. Today, it is not unusual to see people in their 70s and older in desperate financial straits. (My oldest client is 90.) Most of us assume…
Filing Bankruptcy: “Will I Hurt My Wife’s Credit When I File?”
Guest Post Written by Rome, Georgia Bankruptcy Lawyer, Jeff Kelly When filing bankruptcy, if your spouse has not signed any contracts with you, your spouse’s credit score will not be affected by your filing. Before you file bankruptcy, make a list of every single debt you have in the entire world. Next, you should…
Filing Bankruptcy: “How Much Debt Do I Need to File?”
Written by Charleston Bankruptcy Lawyer, Russell A. DeMott One of my readers recently asked about how much debt he needed to file bankruptcy. That’s a good question, and I’m asked that frequently. There’s no set amount of debt you must have to file bankruptcy. As I’ve said before, each case is unique. …
Filing Bankruptcy and Keeping “Just One” Credit Card
Written by Charleston Bankruptcy Lawyer, Russell A. DeMott Filing bankrupty means listing all your debts. Sometimes I hear clients say that they don’t want to “file on” a certain debt. However, you must list all your debts. In my Summerville bankruptcy practice, I frequently hear clients say that they don’t want to file…
